


Pride

by PercyNeville



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluffy, Love Story, M/M, Partially based on Pride and Prejudice, hints of sabriel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:34:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24033616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PercyNeville/pseuds/PercyNeville
Summary: Cas has just broken up with his boyfriend, Balthazar. He doesn't think he'll be able to love again. Then he meets Dean, his best friend's boyfriend's brother, and everything changes.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Destiel
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first multi-chapter fic, and I am extremely open to suggestions on how you guys would like it to proceed. Don't hesitate to comment down below :)

Cas awoke that rainy morning in his suddenly too large bed with a leak dripping water onto his forehead. He grumbled, wanting to pull the covers over himself and keep on sleeping, but he worried that he might re-enter the nightmare he had been having before, so he got out of bed. He got dressed in his suit, a blue tie, and his trench coat, ate a quick breakfast, and headed to work. He rode the subway surrounded by all manner of people, who all seemed to be in a better mood than he was, despite the weather. Maybe it wasn’t so much the weather as the metaphysical cloud that had been hanging over his head for the past few weeks.

“Hey, Cas?” his friend, Gabriel, asked, opening the door to his office without knocking. Cas couldn’t even remember coming off of the subway and into the office, he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts, but here he was.

“Yes?”

“I wondered if you wanted to get lunch today? We could go to that new vegan place you’ve been wanting to try?”

“Sure, sounds great.”

At twelve, the pair walked to the restaurant. They talked about work and Gabriel’s new boyfriend, Sam. Then the subject of Pride came up. Gabriel was going with Sam, but Cas wasn’t sure if he was going this year.

“Come on, we always go to Pride. It’s summer in New York. What better time or place is there to be gay? It’s queer Christmas!”

“I don’t know, I haven’t really been feeling that into the whole ‘celebrating my sexuality’ thing since… you know.”

“Yeah, I know. But come on. It’ll be fun. Maybe it’ll, I don’t know, lift your spirits. Maybe you’ll meet someone. You never know. Sam has a brother. We could double-date,” he sang, teasingly.

“Look,” Cas, said, pointing his salad fork at Gabriel. “If I’m not looking to flaunt my sexuality, why would I be looking to meet someone?”

“You never know, you might hit it off with him. His name’s Dean. He’s pretty cute.”

Cas swallowed. “How does your boyfriend feel that you’re into his brother?”

“I never said I was into him, I just said he was cute,” Gabriel laughed. “You can think someone’s cute and still not be into them. I just think that you know, two wrongs might make a right.”

“So we’re wrongs, now?” Cas asked in mock offense.

“All I’m saying is that you and he might hit it off. You should at least give it a chance. Come to Pride with us. You’ll have fun, you always do."

“All right, I’ll go. But you have to promise me that you aren’t setting me up with some weirdo like two years ago.”

“What weirdo?”

“The one with the snakes.”

“Oh, yeah, him. I forgot about snake-guy.”

“I didn’t.”

“Well, I can assure you he’s better than snake-guy.”

Gabriel pulled out his phone and showed Cas a picture of a man with dirty-blonde hair, shockingly green eyes, and freckles wearing a brown leather jacket who stood in front of an Impala.

“You know I don’t go for car guys.”

“Trust me, he’s not that kind of car guy. He may have this tough exterior, but inside he’s a little puppy dog.”

“Fine. Let’s go to Pride with your boyfriend and Mr. Impala.” Cas gathered up his things and he and Gabriel walked out of the restaurant.

“His name’s Dean, by the way.”

Dean. Cas turned the name over in his mind as he laid in his bed that night. He wondered what he was like. “Goddamnit, Cas,” he said to himself. “You promised yourself you wouldn’t get worked up over someone you don’t even know. Not again.”

* * *

It was a temperate, partly cloudy Saturday morning. Today was the day. The first day of Pride. Cas puts on his usual Pride outfit, angel wings with rainbow feathers atop a black t-shirt and shorts, several queer-themed buttons lining his collar. When he got on the Subway, he was surrounded by people of all ages, from babies and toddlers holding small rainbow flags and clinging to their parents’ arms to old queer couples holding each other’s hands. He got off at his stop, having to climb through all the other people exiting, and saw Gabriel, a tall man with long hair, whom he recognized as Sam, and a shorter man who was still taller than Gabriel, whom he recognized from the picture his friend had shown him as Dean. He walked over to them and introduced himself.

“I like your wings,” Sam smiled. Dean merely grunted in recognition of him, busy checking out some guy that walked past the four. 

“You eaten, Cas?” Gabriel asked.

“Not yet, I was planning to pick something up while we were here.”

“I’ll do you one better, I heard about this brunch place not far from here, why don’t we go there?”

“Sounds good to me,” Cas replied.

Sam and Dean nod in approval and the group starts walking, Gabriel leading the way. After a few minutes, they arrive at a small restaurant with large, glass windows reading “Ellen’s,” and a large rainbow flag out front. Cas had been here before. Right after… But he didn’t want to bring it up because Gabriel liked nothing more than showing people places they had never been before. A pretty girl with a nametag reading “Jo” took their orders. Gabriel ordered a stack of pancakes with blueberry syrup, Sam ordered a salad, Cas ordered an omelet, and Dean ordered a double bacon cheeseburger, despite it being only about ten in the morning. They ate their breakfast in happy conversation until Gabriel and Sam’s flirting became uncomfortable. When they weren’t looking, Dean tapped Cas on the shoulder and nodded towards the door. 

“Um,” said Cas, nervously, “I heard about this… thing... I wanted to check out. Would you mind if Dean and… left you guys for a minute?”

“Yeah, sure, go ahead,” Gabriel mumbled, staring deeply into Sam’s eyes.

“Go, go, go,” Dean motioned Cas out.

They just about ran down the block laughing at themselves. 

“Well, that was uncomfortable,” said Dean. 

“Yeah, you could practically smell what was about to happen in there.”

Dean laughed. “I like you, Cassie.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, Mr. Impala.”

“Ah, I so you’ve seen Baby.”

“Oh, no, you are that type of car guy.”

“Car guy? You’d be one too if you had a car like Baby.”

“Where do you even drive a car in New York City?”

“It’s not so much where I drive her, as how much it impresses guys that they could drive her.”

“So you would be so careless with it that you would let just anyone drive it.”

“No, not just anyone, I’m not a lunatic.”

Cas laughed, “Yes, I see, now.” He turned to walk toward the gates of Pride, draped in flags.

“You see what?”

“You  _ are _ a car guy,” Cas chuckled, looking back.

“I may be a car guy, but at least I have a car to obsess over.”

“Oh, he throws shade, does he? My frail masculinity is shattered.”

Dean ran after him and put his arm around Cas's shoulder.

“We’re gonna have a good time, today.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel explains some of his past to Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations! You've made it to Chapter Two! If you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to comment down below :)

They wandered around for a little while, took a picture with a drag queen dressed as Cher (don’t judge Cas, she was his favorite musician when he was twelve), and got some rainbow-colored cotton candy. They eat it and watch the parade. Dean looked at Cas for a second too long. When Cas looked back, he jerked his head away and pretended to be intently watching a float for some bank.

“As far as I can remember, I don’t think they wanted anything to do with us last month,” Cas remarked, cynically, looking at the same float.

Dea hummed. “It’s June. Gay Christmas, marketing’s field day.” Cas laughed and Dean looked at him again.

“Why do you keep looking at me?”

“What do you mean? ‘Cause you’re cute.”

Cas blushed and frowned.

“What’s wrong?” Dean asked, facing Cas’s cold shoulder. “What? You don’t think you’re cute?” 

“No, and I don’t appreciate you coming on to me.”

“C’mon, I didn’t mean anything by it. Can’t a guy tell another guy he’s cute without it being a come-on?”

“Of course he can, but I know for a fact that it was.”

“Oh, yeah, and how do you know?”

Cas nodded at the ground. Dean looked down and noticed that his hand was on Cas’s upper thigh. He quickly removed it and apologized.

“So that’s a no, then?”

“It’s just-- it’s not a great time.”

“And if it were a different time, then the answer might have been more favorable if your hand hadn’t been on my thigh before the first date.”

“So there’s the prospect of a first date, then?”

“Under different circumstances.”

“And what are these circumstances.”

“Things I’m not in the habit of sharing personal information when I’ve just met someone.”

“Come on, humor me. What deep dark secrets are you hiding?”

“You, really want to know?”

* * *

As Cas stepped into the apartment. The television was off, rather than blaring, as it usually was when Balthazar was home. Cas walked to the dining room to find Balthazar sitting at the kitchen table with his hands folded and a grim expression on his face.

“Hey, something wrong?”

Balthazar looked down, intently studying the wood of the table. “We need to talk, Cas.”

“Okay,” Cas put down his things. “What about.”

“I’ve given it some thought and I’ve decided that… Do you want some dinner first?”

“You’ve decided…?”

“We’ve got leftover Chinese? I could make some pasta?”

“What is it, Balthazar?”

“I’m leaving you.”

“You’re… what?”

“I’m leaving you.

Balthazar left the table and went to the bedroom. Cas followed him.

“Whatever I did, I’m sorry. Balthazar, I’m sorry.”

“It’s not like that, Cas.”

“What did I do?”

“It’s not  _ like _ that, Cas. It’s not you, it’s me.”

“Oh, please, that’s always what people say when it’s clearly the other person’s fault but you don’t want the burden of being the one who hurt their feelings.”

“I cheated on you.”

A pause. “You what?”

Balthazar said nothing.

“You. Did. What?”

Again, silence.

“What’s his name?”

“That’s not important.”

“How long has this been going on?”

“About three weeks. I ended it today. That’s why I decided to tell you.”

“But if you ended it, then we can just move forward. Everything could be like it was before.”

“You’re missing the point. It doesn’t matter that it’s over, it matters that it started. It’s over, Cas. I don’t love you anymore.”

“You, don’t-- What?”

“I don’t love you anymore.” Balthazar pulled out a suitcase from under the bed. “I’ve found a new place in Brooklyn. You can keep the apartment.” He turned to leave, but Cas pulled him to face him.

“Balthazar, please don’t go. We can fix this.”

“There’s nothing to fix. Goodbye, Cas.” He left and this time Cas didn’t try to stop him. He sat on the bed and held his head in his hands. He laid down but shot back up when he realized he could smell Balthazar on his pillow. So he decided to take a walk. He walked for a while, but then it started to rain and he ducked into the first restaurant he could find, a small place with large, glass windows reading “Ellen’s” and a large rainbow flag out front, soaked in the rain that had just fallen. Cas ordered a cup of coffee from a pretty girl with a nametag reading “Jo.”

Why would Balthazar do something like that? What was so wrong with Cas? What did he do to make him fall out of love with him? What did he ever do but love him? 

* * *

“So then what happened?” Dean asked.

“Then I made a promise to myself that I would never let it happen again. I would never get hurt like that again. I would never fall in love with someone again.”

“So those are the circumstances.”

“That they are.”

“So I don’t have a shot in hell with you, do I?”

“Not looking good.”

“Okay, then.” Dean looked down, melancholy quickly hid behind indifference.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if that got a little dark. I hope you enjoyed!


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Pride wraps up, something happens between Dean and Cas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, if the summary was a little vague, but I didn't want to give too much away. You'll just have to read it to find out what happens >:-)

Dean and Cas wander around Pride. The event is busy with people and the sun beats down on them, though Cas doesn’t mind the heat, he is just happy the sun is out as if it is foretelling of good weather for the rest of the season. They would have stayed to watch the parade, but Dean insisted that the parade was the least important part of Pride (Cas wanted to disagree, but Dean was already walking away). They walked past stands selling food, shirts, and flags representing nearly every sexuality and gender identity Cas could think of. Two men, one quite tall, the other much shorter, with rainbows painted on their cheeks wearing New York shirts (obvious tourists) came up to them.

“Hey, guys,” the taller one said, “My name’s Demian and this is my boyfriend Barnes. We were wondering if we could take a picture of the two of you. We love your outfit,” He said, nodding to Cas’s wings. Dean looked at Cas and he gave him a nod, indicating that it was okay with him. The couple thanked them and Dean and Cas smiled as they took their picture.

“You guys are so cute,” Barnes said. “How long have you been together.”

“Oh, we’re not together,” Dean said. “What about you guys?”

As the pair talked about how they met and how long they’ve been together, Cas wondered why he had felt a sting when Dean had said that they weren’t together. The fact was accurate. Cas had turned him down. And he wasn’t looking to date anyone anyway. Balthazar had made sure of that. But at the same time…

“Well, it was nice talking to you guys. Enjoy Pride,” Demian said. They waved goodbye and Cas and Dean continued walking.

“Do you want to stop for lunch soon?” Dean asked. 

“Sure, I’m getting a little hungry, too.”

_ Oh, we’re not together. Together. Together. _

“Cas?”

Cas snapped out of his thoughts and realized Dean had started talking to him.

“What are you thinking?”

“Crap.”

“What?”

“What?”

“I asked what you were thinking about for  _ lunch _ . Not-- What did you think I said?”

“Nothing. Pizza?”

“Sounds good,” Dean said, eyeing Cas worriedly.

They found a pizza restaurant. Dean got pepperoni, Canadian bacon, olives, mushrooms, and sausage. Cas got cheese. As Dean bit into his slice, he moaned and for a second Cas closed his eyes. When he opened them, he found Dean staring at him.

“Something up?” Dean asked.

“No, nothing. Why do you ask.”

A pause. “No reason. I mean, I don’t know you very well, so I don’t know, but you seem to be acting a little bit… strange.”

Cas exhaled. “What would you have done if I’d said ‘yes?’”

“When?”

“When you came on to me.”

Dean sighed. “Look, I’m sorry that happened. What can I do so that we can move past it?”

“Nothing. It’s fine. I was just thinking…”

“Thinking?”

“That if the circumstances were different, I might have said yes.”

Dean tried to move past Cas’s comment, and they didn’t talk about it for the rest of the day. And as Pride was beginning to close, Cas and Dean both found themselves tired. They didn’t realize how far away they were from the subway station, though, so they prepared for a long, awkward walk. The sun began to set and the sky was a brilliant orange, burning bright before it would inevitably turn black with the night. They walked in silence, occasionally stealing glances, but turning away before the other one could notice. They got to the station as many other people they recognized from Pride were also arriving. Everyone looked glad that they had come but vaguely sad that “Gay Christmas” (as Dean had called it earlier) was over. 

“Well, this is it,” Dean said.

“Indeed it is.”

“Can I walk you down?”

“Be my guest.”

They headed down the stairs and got to the empty tracks. The train wouldn’t be there for a few minutes. They waited a few minutes in silence.

“That train is taking a long time.”

“It sure is.”

“You sure you don’t want to go to yours before you miss it?”

“I guess I should.”

He turned to face Cas.

“Well, this was fun.”

“Yeah, we should do it again sometime. I mean, you know, Pride won’t be until next year, but before then, we should do something.” He paused. “Like, are you free next Saturday?”

“What?”

“Are you free next Saturday?”

“I am. I thought you said… only if the circumstances were different?”

“I guess I feel like challenging the circumstances.”

“You’re sure?”

Cas nodded. He looked down at his feet, nervously. He hadn’t realized how close he and Dean were to each other. He wanted to be closer. He put his hands on Dean’s shoulders.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to give you time to pull away. May I kiss you?”

“You may.”

He moved one hand to the back of Dean’s neck and pulled him in slowly. They kissed. They kissed and it felt like a million floodgates were breaking. Cas caressed Dean’s chapped yet soft lips slowly, not wanting to rush him. Then Dean sped up the process. Someone yelled at them to get a room. But they didn’t care. Dean moved his hand to flick off the person who yelled and then placed it on Cas’s back, moving it slowly lower and lower. It was perfect. Then the train pulled up and they slowly pulled away.

“Goodbye, Angel.”

“Angel?”

“Your wings.”

“Ah, I see.”

They quickly exchanged contact information and parted ways, Dean watching Cas as he got on the train and grabbed onto the bar, the seats all filled up. And when Cas thought Dean wasn’t looking, he grinned as widely as he felt he could without looking like a psychopath. But of course, Dean saw and smiled himself, watching as the train pulled away before leaving to catch his own. While on the subway, 

Cas had time to think. Maybe he had been wrong after Balthazar had broken his heart. Maybe he could love again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! I would love some suggestions on where to go next with this, so please comment down below!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked the first installment of this series! Again, I love feedback, so please comment down below


End file.
